Page 33 of Vesper Martinis
“I’m not ignoring you,” I say, not feeling any of this bullshit. “I just need to go back to work, and you're making that very… difficult.”
“You were going to say hard, weren’t you?” The guy grins.
“No, I wasn’t. Now, will you please take your drink and leave me alone? I have to get back to work.”
“I thought the customer was always right?”
I’m about to tell this guy to fuck off when Pierce comes out of nowhere and places his hand on the customer's shoulder.
“You got your drink. Now, I think it’s time you leave the bartender alone.” Pierce’s voice is cool and calm, but if you’re paying attention, you can tell he’s upset by how his knuckles are white on the guy's shoulders.
“Who the fuck are you?” the guy slurs, clearly not on his first drink.
“I’m the manager. Now, I’m giving you one last chance. Walk away or get thrown out. It’s up to you. I think you’re just about done, anyway.”
The guy narrows his eyes and looks from Pierce to me, then back to Pierce.
“You afraid of me?” he asks Pierce.
“Not in the slightest,” Pierce says with absolution.
“Whatever,” the guy says, then pretends to walk away before turning back, his fist flying at Pierce’s face.
Before it can connect with his eye, Pierce catches the man’s fist, spins around, and pins him to the bar.
“You should’ve walked away,” Pierce hisses as the guy struggles in his grip.
“Get the fuck off me!” the guy shouts as two guards come up and take him.
Brushing his sleeves, Pierce nods to Derek and says, “Clean this up.” He points to the ground where what was left of the guy's martini lay. The glass is shattered, and the three olives are untouched.
My heart is pounding as Pierce crooks his fingers and tells me to come with him. I follow him up the stairs, and as soon as we’re both behind his office door, he grips my face and looks me in the eye.
“Are you okay?”
I’m stunned. His eyes are wide, full of both anger and fear. I place my hands on his sides and nod.
“Yes. I’m fine.”
“Your eyes,” Pierce shakes his head. “You looked so uncomfortable when he was talking to you. It pissed me off so much I wanted to punch him in his fucking face.”
“Well, I’m kind of glad you didn’t.” I pull back. “Because the move you made was much hotter.”
He chuckles as he loosens his grip on me. “I’m sorry for that.”
“No, it’s fine. You’re right. I was uncomfortable, and I was lost at what to do.”
“Don’t worry, Wesley. I got you,” Pierce says softly. “And just for the record, I was protecting you. I wasn’t jealous.”
I chuckle. ”I didn’t ask if you were.”
“I know,” he says. “But given how I’ve acted before, I just want to let you know I’m past that. I trust you.”
My brows raise. “You do?”
He shrugs. “Enough to not get jealous when another man is talking to you.”
“Okay,” I reply.